horsehide question

[CWendling]

Maybe a dumb question, but before I call them, thought id ask here. Have a customer that wants horsehide holster so ordered one from Zack White as a few suggested. Got the hide in and it looks, i guess, waterstained. Is that normal for horsehide? Dont want to mess with shipping back and forth to keep getting similar pieces.

 

[Horsewright]

Cory, that one definitely looks water stained. Horsehide is kinda funny and will have a lot of mottling on occasions but that definitely looks stained. Remember with the horsehide butts that we can buy we're getting the leftovers any way. We're getting the trimmings of what the footwear industry (also sporting goods) didn't want. That being said it is a great leather and is produced by one of the finest tanneries (Horween). We use it a lot for different projects but mostly holsters and headstalls. It is simply the best leather I've ever used for IWB holsters. In fact we've got some butts en route from Zack White right now. I'd be on the fence about sending it back. Looks like it wouldn't be to tough to cut around particularly with a holster pattern. Also if you wet mold there is a real good chance the water staining will go away once the entire piece is wet. Same deal if you dye the holster say black or something dark the stain won't make a difference.

This pic shows a holster we built for the wife's Colt Mustang. It shows some of the mottling I talked about. Almost looks like scratches but ain't, just the mottling. Just oiled with warm neatsfoot oil.

This was the first IWB we did out of horsehide and we've switched completely to it for that use. The placket for the clip is cowhide but the holster body itself is horsehide.

The horsehide has a firmness to it that allows those IWB holsters to stay open. Also once horsehide stretches to an object it doesn't continue to stretch like cowhide. Perfect for holsters and sheaths. Hope this helps.